A Beautiful Last Day of Summer

 It wasn't an early start to this September 21st. We slept in and then I had to do my hour long "long program" of physical therapy. We were on our way by 11:00 this morning, headed for the Des Moines Marina and the Des Moines Farmer's Market. 

The sun was shining. People were shopping and visiting and having a good time. Although we didn't meet anyone we actually knew, we met lots of people who became "friends for the day". We had so many fun conversations and exchanges. 

There were flowers.

There was produce. We bought corn on the cob and little cucumbers. 

There were baked goods. I bought almond croissants to bring home, a cranberry scone for Tom and a chocolate dipped coconut macaroon for me. I had to wait in line since this booth was so popular. I wondered what happened to Tom. Turns out he was talking with a wood working craftsman. I guess that balances out the time I spent talking to a fabric crafter.  Eventually we ended up at The Quarterdeck, a cafe on the marina, where we sat in the sunshine and enjoyed lattes with our bakery treats. 

Such incredibly blue skies and calm waters. 

We sat by the docks for a while and then moved on until we came to a performer, and man with a lovely voice, singing with his guitar. We were leaving after he finished the song he had written when he started singing " Hallelujah". Oh, my. So beautiful. We sat back down to listen. 

I was filled with a warm glow that lasted me all afternoon as we returned home, where I harvested and chopped basil for the freezer and used surplus tomatoes to make some spaghetti sauce to freeze. 

Dinner was easy, left over chicken pesto pasta and fresh sliced tomatoes. College football kept me company. Both Washington universities, Cougars and Huskies,  are winners this weekend. Oregon State Beavers look to be on the way to victory. 

This has been a perfect last day of summer. 

Happy Autumn. 

New Pots and Old Friends.

 

Those new pots I showed you on the last post all got filled and the plants put back in the Danger Garden. We found some heavy gloves for Tom and he survived without injury. Now the plants can all stay put on the patio until the cold rains start, then most will go into the greenhouse for the winter. 

I picked some new flowers for the house.

Today, Thursday, I attended a gathering of the McMicken Lunch Bunch. It has been about a year since we all got together. All but one of us have retired and we all worked at McMicken Heights Elementary at one time or another. 

That young one in front that can still get up off the floor is Chris, our principal when I and others of us retired. She took time off from her now district  administrative job to join us. 

When I saw these two standing together I jumped at the chance to get a photo of us together, the three Lindas. There was even a fourth Linda for a while. We had to use our last names in conversations, so I am forever known as Linda Reeder. 

It was a fun time seeing and visiting with old friends. Teachers make friends for life. 

 

Monday

 The laundry is done. Some of the housework is done. I went for my mile+ walk. Tom has been working outside.

Now the lawn is mowed and the sun is shining after a cloudy morning. 

Saturday it rained again and since we got an email about a pottery sale at a local nursery, and since we needed some larger pots for our "Danger Garden", we went shopping.

These plants will get larger pots, but will have to be handled very carefully. Danger!

Tom sifted compost in preparation for making potting soil.

While we were outside Charlie/Mewdini came to visit. I gave him his treat during lunch, but when he returned this afternoon he complained that his dish was empty. He wasn't accepting that he already had his treats, so eventually I caved. 

Sunday was a big sports day in Seattle. The NFL Seahawks won in New England. The MLB Mariners won in Seattle. The Storm won their WNBA game, and the Sounders won their MLS game in Seattle. Tom and Jill were at the soccer match. I watched football and soccer on TV.  All Seattle fans were happy. 

I am slowly recovering from those hornet/wasp stings. They swelled up big and itched like crazy. Today they are greatly diminished in swelling, redness and itching. This is the fifth day. Can you tell I get big reactions from insect bites and stings? But at least they are not life threatening. 

It's time to wrap this up and go work Wordle before I prep dinner. We'll be grilling since the sun is shining. It's past the middle of September already and we have to take advantage of sunny days while we have them. 

Tomatoes and Zucchini, Hornets and Politics.

We went for my mile plus walk this morning and then I went out into the garden to finish cleaning up the edges of the lawn, a job I started Tuesday. I knew there was a hornet's nest near the Rhodendron bush but I thought I was far enough away from it when I pulled on a binder weed trailing through the bushes. I wasn't. I was swarmed. I got out of there as fast as I could but they got me through my gloves and my long sleeve shirt. I think I was lucky to escape with only three stings.

There's another on on the index finger of my other hand. They are swelling up nicely now and as the hurting decreases the itching will start. I took a Benadryl, and am taking it easy for a while. I have a haircut appointment this afternoon.

Not everything is bad though. I thought Kamala Harris did a masterful job during Tuesday's debate. Donald Trump was his usual lying self, but since he can't handle losing, he has now convinced his supporters that the debate was "rigged". That's always his excuse. Sadly many believe him. 

I made zucchini bread again yesterday. It was nice to get a crop this year, but now the vines are already shutting down. I froze both loaves, but one I cut in half to freeze and that gave me a chance to cut a thin slice to taste, Yum!

As you can see, we have a basket of tomatoes on the counter, and lots more on the vines. There will be tomatoes and cottage cheese for lunch every day now, and sliced tomatoes for dinner, with or without basil and fresh mozzarella cheese. We have lots of basil in the garden.

Yesterday I had a phone appointment with my bone doctor and we agreed to schedule knee replacement surgery in January or February. In the meantime I am trying to get my hip problems and balance improved. "Keep doing stuff." Just maybe not more yard work today. :-(

Sunday

 

I picked new flowers yesterday. I have a few more dahlias blooming. I wish they lasted longer in the vase.

Saturday was still warm. My exercise was 40 minutes on the stationary bike in the garage, a good workout. I was planning to watch some of the UofW Huskies football, but since they moved to the Big 10 Conference, we have so far not been able to get Husky football here in the Northwest unless we subscribe to the Big Ten broadcasts. The game was here in Seattle, but not on TV. Locals are not happy. The Huskies won though.

The Sounders won in Columbus, Ohio, and the WSU Cougars won at home in Pullman. Three for three. Now we just have the Seahawks to go. The game starts here in Seattle at 1:30. I'll be watching. 

It is cloudy and cool here today, still only 62 at 11:30, and I am loving it. We went for our walk this morning. Our standard neighborhood walk is 1.15 miles, enough for me, and it keeps Tom moving too. I always have in the back of my mind the words of my Physical Therapist, " Just keep doing stuff." I'm trying.

Now that blogs are done, I'll find my Seahawks shirt, and then begin reading the Sunday Seattle Times. There is lots to check out in the Sunday paper, and yes, it is still an actual paper.

See you later. 

Update: The Seahawks won today. Four for four.

Settling In To September

 It's hot again. It's officially 87 at 3:00 but it might go higher. It will cool down only slightly for the weekend. 

After our breakfast with friends, Tom spent several hours helping Irene pack up and load the U-Haul truck that she and Jill will be driving to Bellingham tomorrow to move her into her apartment in Bellingham. They have been collecting used furnishings for her new abode. She will soon start her sophomore year at Western Washington University. 

After Tom got back home he has gone outside in the heat to water plants and take care of his latest batch of geranium cuttings.

I managed to do the weekly grocery shopping by myself this morning, something I have not done since the parade of surgeries started several years ago. I survived nicely, but that was my big effort for the day. 

The brugmansia on the patio is finally blooming.

Beneath it the "Danger Garden" is looking good.  These plants all like the heat. 

Be careful what you touch. Ouch!

Also on the patio, some Canas are finishing while others are just starting to bloom.

The Blackeyed Susan vine is happy. 

So far these Hostas are not getting burnt up. 

I finally had enough zucchini to make a batch of zucchini bread this week. I am freezing most of it in half loaves, but we are eating one half.  It's hard to work on weight loss when there are so many good things to eat. When I called my sister the other day she told me she had to go to the store to get saltine crackers because she just HAD to have fried zucchini, with sliced tomatoes of course. I have switched to Panko and parmesan coated baked zucchini "chips". We are eating tomatoes with most meals now. 

Saturday and Sunday will be sports days, at least for me. I watch more sports than Tom does. The Sounders play Saturday late afternoon, followed by WSU Cougar football. The UW Huskies play at 12:30 so I'll watch some of it. On Sunday the Seahawks play their NFL season opener. All of this is on TV for me, a good way to handle the heat. 

Yesterday I scribbled a list of topics on a sticky note, and now I can't read one of the items, so I guess that's it for now. :-/

Have a good weekend.

The Annual Phosie Gertie Family Picnic, 2024

 In the Reeder Foster Fuller Clan Sunday of Labor Day weekend is reserved for our annual family picnic, called The Phosie Gertie in honor of the two sisters who are grandmothers of various "greats" to all of the direct descendents. 

Summer is a busy time, but even so 26 of us were there to honor the traditions. The picnic is held at our two family cabins on Whidbey Island. They aren't the old, original cabins now. They could properly be called beach houses, but we still refer to them as cabins. 

We start with the raising of the Phosie Gertie flag. This year a younger generation had the honors. 

While the flag is being raised we sing our anthem, "Oh Phosie and Gertie, we celebrate you..."

Then we mosey to the back of the other cabin for the family photo with the lagoon in the background. Tide's out. 

Next is the Honoring of the Elders, hosted by the youngest generation. We noted that we have no littles right now. 

The list of games has grown shorter, but we do still have the water balloon toss. 

Winners!

Then there is time for talking, and catching up.

And, of course, eating!

The weather was perfect, not too hot, not too cold, not windy. Folks gathered in groups to talk into the evening. There was a campfire.

Some took to the water on paddleboards or small kyaks once the tide came in.

The sun set on another great Phosie Gertie Family Picnic.